Synthesis and characterization of graphene derived from rice husks

Graphene was successfully synthesized by activating rice husk ash (RHA) using potassium hydroxide (KOH) at 800 oC with 1:2 impregnation ratio. Raman spectroscopy analysis confirmed the presence of graphitic structure. The demonstrated methodology utilizes RHA as carbon source and used as sacrifice to prevent oxidation during synthesis process on the mixture of KOH and RHA against air at high temperature. The novelty of this synthesis methodology use environmentally-friendly biomass resource as a starting material, does not utilize catalysts, and prove that graphene can be synthesized at a relatively low synthesis temperature.